This cat of the slum had a mind, wasn't dumb...

[jedi_librettist]

Ben kept to the least reputable areas of Republic City. It was easier to find the parts he needed there and, more importantly, to avoid notice. It wasn't just that he didn't want to be recognized as Prince Ben Organa-Solo. He needed to avoid notice since he had no money of his own.

He smiled slightly when he saw the power core. It was exactly the kind he needed. It was far too small for a ship but clearly more powerful than any speeder had a right to be. He walked casually over to the shop. "Which model is that?" he asked, easily drawing the dealer into a conversation.

Several minutes later, he picked up the part. "You were already paid for this," he murmured. He waited just long enough for the togruta to repeat the phrase back before he left, prize in hand.

Comments

[jedi_librettist]

He nodded, biting his lip. "You mean a lot to Bail. I suppose I should get to know you. And it will be different to have some to work with."

[girlandherstaff]

"All he ever talked about was how he was going to find you," Rey said, feeling as if she should make it clear that while she might mean something to Bail, his twin did mean more. "And now he has... I think he's a bit lost for what to do."

[jedi_librettist]

Ben frowned at that. Did that mean Bail might be better if he left again? He didn't think that was what she meant but he'd suspected that his presence was destined to make things harder for his family, not easier.

"What do I do, then?"

[girlandherstaff]

"Nothing, he's just being an idiot," Rey said, in the secure tone of the partner who has seen the moods. "He's just... He's so happy to have you back and it's just going to be a few moments till his mind catches up with him."

[jedi_librettist]

Ben watched her for a moment, trying to sense any doubt she might have. He didn't know what to say when he sensed none.

"Have you seen any oil tanks?"

[girlandherstaff]

Oil tanks... She looked thoughtful for a moment then grinned.

"Actually yes! There's a place that gets a few in. We might be able to find you one. It's down here," she added, setting off in the right direction and just assuming Ben would follow her there.

[jedi_librettist]

He smiled although it seemed far less natural than when she did the same. "Nothing too big," he pointed out. "If there's too much oil in it, the pod will crash."

[girlandherstaff]

"I know," Rey nodded. "But I know how to convert a bigger tank into one that will fit a racer," she added, "so it gives us a bit more leeway in what to look for."

[jedi_librettist]

"It would still slow the pod down," he pointed out. "Unless we can take the weight off somewhere else without damaging the structure of the whole pod. I don't want it to fall apart on the racetrack."

[girlandherstaff]

"I've done it before," Rey said. "I can make it work."

[jedi_librettist]

He looked thoughtful. "Then maybe we should stay with the smaller tank and still take weight off elsewhere." His mind already flew to the advantages of a lighter-than-normal pod-racer. He would take any edge he could get.

[girlandherstaff]

"Have you got any blue prints or anything?" Rey felt like it was a question that should be asked.

[jedi_librettist]

Ben just gave her a look. "Blueprints. For a pod-racer. I'm pretty sure they don't make blueprints for those. It's why they're never the same, even if they're made by the same person. The basic structure is pretty simple. Then you get whatever parts you can find and make them fit somehow."

[girlandherstaff]

"I know that," Rey rolled her eyes. While there were a lot of differences in the Solo twins, sometimes you could see the moments that made it very clear. "I meant have you drawn up any of your own?"

[jedi_librettist]

He shook his head. "I'm still finding all the parts. I can't even start that until after I have them all."

[girlandherstaff]

Rey had to admit that Ben did have a point. For most pod-racers, it was better to just work with what you had to make the best racer you could, rather than to try to plan and find you couldn't get anything you needed. Still...

"... But we've actually got time and enough resources to be able to plan out first? We could make the best pod-racer ever before we know exactly what we're looking for."

[jedi_librettist]

He stared at her. He'd never had that kind of luxury before. He thought it was different just being able to pick parts that already worked.

"That... It sounds like fun," he admitted, finally smiling.

[girlandherstaff]

Rey is practically bouncing with the excitment of the idea.

"I've never had the chance to be able to do something like that," she admits. "On Jakku, you just... used what you had and were grateful to get hold of anything that worked. But... here? Here we have the chance to actually plan."

[jedi_librettist]

"You're from Jakku?" He looked at her more closely. "What part?"

He nodded. "Most of the time, they didn't work when I got them. I had to figure out how to make them work again."

[girlandherstaff]

"Wherever Plutt set up," Rey answered. "I... I belonged to him." It wasn't exactly easy to say, but it was the truth. If Plutt moved, so did she. Granted, she would argue it was because she knew how he worked and knew how to get portions from him but... she knew otherwise.

"This time we could get them working!"

[jedi_librettist]

"Plutt. As in Unkar Plutt?" Ben made a face. "He used to try to charge me for his trash. He had this broken culinary droid once with a broken actuator. He tried to charge me to take it out so he could replace it."

He pulled out the power core. "I found this. It's the best I've ever seen for a pod."

[girlandherstaff]

"That's the guy," Rey said with a tight smile. "Been with him since ... well, for as long as I can remember." Her fingers dug into the strap of her bag, for a moment back on the endless sands and working till her hands bled for whatever measly portion she could get. "Always had a price, for everything. And he'd find a way to get payment in any form he wanted."

She shook her head, glancing at the power core. "Oh, that's in fantastic shape. Just needs a clean up, I've got the stuff for that back at the base."

[jedi_librettist]

He returned her smile with a haunted one of his own. The memory nearly triggered one of his own. "We're not there anymore. But maybe we can get him to bet a little too much on a race..."

[girlandherstaff]

"He, uh, learned the hard way not to bet on or against or with a Solo," Rey admitted with a soft grin. "Still, there's no reason we can't try?"

[jedi_librettist]

"I doubt he knows I'm a Solo."

His time on Jakku had been after the hutts got bored of him. He'd erased his last name almost immediately. He hadn't used one at all when he raced.

"Unless he actually looks at my face."